Frankie

August 16, 2011

Poop-elation!

Day two of poop-elation at my house.Okay, so you have to own a sulcata tortoise to understand what poop-elation means and how it feels after sick Frankie for 10 plus days.

Ten days of sad, miserable, I-don’t-want-to-do-anything, no-pooping sulcata is a sign of big trouble.This results in a very expensive visit to Frankie’s veterinarian and a tell-all x-ray starring poop with stage fright (….no, that’s not right), I mean poop with a refusal to show it’s ugly face because the story it tells may just be a tragedy.This was followed by a week of daily medicine, hours of Frankie soaking in pool and rain (his preferred choice of soaking), and enough cactus pads to keep a local Hispanic grocery market in business.

The poop diary over those days was bleak.The average sulcata poop dump on a typical summer day should count more than 10 very generous fibrous poops.Frankie was eeking out maybe one to two each day.Poop dissection revealed lots of leaf litter, pine needles and an occasional rock:items that should not be in happy sulcata poop.

But yesterday, a breakthrough!The otherwise would be miserable Frankie was a mighty proud producer of five large morning poops.And just to prove there was no outside donor Frankie produced one more with me as a witness.I did my happy-poop tap dance.The poop dissection revealed 100% pure indigestible fibrous grass remains.I became a backyard cheer leader.

The rest of the day Frankie spend walking, grazing, relaxing as I smiled from the sidelines. Big sigh of relief.Frankie is going to be okay.I can afford to pay for Greg’s birthday present (he already bought it).

…..but maybe I am getting too far ahead.After all, tortoises are slow to get sick and even slower to get well.I’ve already announced to everyone about Frankie’s 5 poop delivery and there is a chance it’s not over yet…..

Frankie, looking at me from under the patio, looks annoyed at my behavior.Then I notice that he has pushed his Dogloo from its original spot.And the blue pool that was full of water yesterday is empty and crumbled like a napkin.Across the yard I spot the old grey plastic chair that was by the gate yesterday.The chair has a new crack across the seat.

Welcome!

Frankie Tortoise Tails is about the antics of a 101 pound, captive bred sulcata tortoise named Frankie.

Frankie's adventures are often humorous and help to illustrate what a sulcata needs to live a long and healthy life.

Frankie Tortoise Tails are recommended to anyone thinking about being a sulcata keeper.

Since 2005, Frankie's fans have enjoyed reading about his everyday life.

Enjoy!

NOTICE: Sulcata tortoises are not suitable pets for most people. 4 out of 5 sulcata tortoises end up at shelters, turtle rescue groups or abandoned when owners discover how big sulcata get and how destructive they are.

Learn all you can before you choose a sulcata. In most instances, a smaller turtle is more suitable.

If you still want a sulcata, please don't buy baby sulcata. Adopt from a turtle/tortoise rescue group.